omg, i have had the worst stomach cramps and nausea, and some D this weekend, and i think it is from the greek food i ate friday night. my SO had to get up at 4:30am to go to this outdoor race thing, and i already was having these pains, and then when i woke up later in the morning, BAM! i was not in good shape, and it's just stuck with me most of the weekend. what the heck? i actually looked the restaurant up, and it turns out that they do not have a clean health safety record either...ick (we eat there semi-regularly).

does anyone else find it hard to tell if they really have food poisoning, or if they're digestive system has just gone mysteriously haywire?

shanneroo

May 2 2006, 09:16 AM

Hey guys! I had an allergy test done, and it turns out that my problems (much like a lot of yours) turned out to be allergies. Most of my problem was caused by dairy (wah!). Anyway, I am eating soy stuff now (cheese,milk, icecream) and it wasn't as tough of a transition as I thought it would be (Although I'd never eat soy cheese plain). It's so nice being able to enjoy eating something and keeping it in the stomach more than 15 mins. Woooohoooooo!

midgemcgrath

May 4 2006, 11:12 PM

i hear ya, shanneroo, that is my worst allergy. haven't had ANY dairy for five years. if you want advice on the best brands of soy products, i'm your gal (fyi. for cheese, my fave is tofutti--all their stuff is fab!)

msgoofball

May 5 2006, 10:25 AM

i am planning on going dairy free as much as possible...please midgemcgrath..give me some suggestions. thanks!

midgemcgrath

May 5 2006, 05:52 PM

OK!

ice cream: soy delicious. especially their gourmet type ice creams (in the smaller containers) are amazing, and the bars and ice cream sandwiches they make are all delicious!

milk: i wouldn't dare drink rice milk on its own, but i like it best for baking and cereal cause it isn't as bean-y (get fortified of course!). but for chocolate milk, silk is good (though it makes me a bit gassy), and natur-a is actually really good, it tastes like chocolate malt, and you can get it in juice box size to take along.

yogurts--actually i've pretty much liked all the yogurts! my favorite though is the so-nice soyganic peach.

cheese--okay, soy cheese is the only one they really haven't mastered yet. admittedly i haven't tried any of the ones with casein in them (seriously, why do they even make it, if i could eat casein, i'd eat real cheese), so those might taste better, and there's more flavour variety. but otherwise, the only cheese i've actually liked is the tofutti brand cheese slices. they're great for grilled cheese (it actually melts), and i'll slice it up on nachos, or basically anything, but i definately like it melted best.

cream cheese and sour cream--tofutti again. amazing stuff. great flavours of cream cheese too, like smoked salmon, garlic and chive...and you can actually use the plain cream cheese in baking too like cream cheese icing, and if you get ambitious you can use it in vegan cheesecake (made from the tofutti cream cheese and silken tofu).

well, that's all i can think of right now... if i forgot anything, let me know! oh, and just as a note, i've found some of this stuff at regular grocery stores, but for the mother load, head to your nearest healthfood store or wholefoods and they will have it all.

midgemcgrath

May 5 2006, 05:53 PM

ps. soy-nog, which only comes out at x-mas is wonderful. but trust me and stay away from rice-based ice creams.

livelyupurself

May 6 2006, 12:57 AM

I am suffering from IBS too, and I'm positive that a lot of my symptoms are stress induced. Ditto on what ris said re: xanax. I had one tonight because the stress has been out of control this past week and it is the first relief I've felt all week from the stomach cramps. I've always had a sensitive stomach and my nerves can always bring on a tummy ache. It sucks.

I'm also lactose intolerant and in need of gall bladder sugery, but don't have the medical coverage to afford it just yet. As a result, I've become very careful with my diet avoiding trigger foods. I've read to avoid fats, but I've found that sugar and refined carbs like white bread and rice are the worst triggers for me. Obviously greasy and fried foods are a no-no, but some fats like olive oil and avocado actually seem to help my troubles. Pizza, white bread of any sort and ice cream are my arch enemies.

I've never been too terribly in to milk, except for on my cereal. I don't care for soy milk unless it is mixed in a chai latte or a smoothie. I like chocolate almond milk, but I'm trying to find a good milk sub for cereal. I'm glad to hear the tofutti cream cheese and sour supreme are good. I've just been doing without because I am so damned picky. I'd rather go without certain foods than to eat something that is clearly a poor substitute, ala most soy cheeses. I will definetely have to try the tofutti slices (cause yay, they melt!) and have a yummy grilled cheese on some good, fiberrifric bread.

Has anyone ever heard of Equalactin? It's for IBS and is over the counter. I've been using it and it seems to help. It has become impossible for me to find locally, though I did manage to find a couple of boxes on clearance at a Sav-On drug store so I'm stocked up for now. I will just order some from drugstore.com when I start to run low.

Also, in response to the post by rspears on Jan. 29th (though it may be a bit late), have you been checked out by a doctor yet? Do you have frequent heartburn/reflux? It sounds like you could have a hiatal hernia. I know someone who has a very large hiatal hernia and he had symptoms just like yours. He could take a few bites and be completely full. And if he actually ate an entire meal or drank anything with his food, he would be so full and his upper abdomen would bloat up and protrude. Just a thought for ya.

urethritis

May 17 2006, 11:14 PM

okay busties. my problem is this. first off, I have IBS but that's not the issue. the issue is my upper stomach burning like hell. I swear I have an ulcer but how can I know? It burns like all hell sometimes for hours. nothing in particular seems to trigger it but it all seemed to start at around the time I started taking probiotics for my tummy. but even when I don't take them I still get the burning. it's horrendous. any ideas???

midgemcgrath

May 18 2006, 03:49 PM

doctor. i have to say, urethritis, you ought to get to the doc in this case. they can test you for h.pylori and give you antibiotics if that's what's causing it. or suggest something to take care of the acid and let your poor tummy heal!

livelyupurself

Jun 1 2006, 05:41 AM

Arrrgh, gall bladder issues do vex me

msgoofball

Jun 16 2006, 01:01 PM

thanks midge! i have to go to the store today. i think i will try the tofutti cheese...

midgemcgrath

Jun 19 2006, 10:07 AM

ohmygosh. i spent a very long day travelling to get home from vacation yesterday, and i have the runs! what else do i have today? a job interview.

why does it always have to be like that!?!?!

msgoofball

Jun 20 2006, 11:17 AM

stress is a trigger..and it sucks...i resisted pizza yesterday...bah..this sucks.

midgemcgrath

Jun 20 2006, 03:15 PM

i know, i know, but sometimes it gets hard to be zen about stuff when you're a naturally anxious person like me!

kudos on the pizza resistance... have you tried making your own tummy friendly variety?

msgoofball

Jun 22 2006, 11:49 AM

not yet...no time...maybe this weekend...i got the tofutti stuff..just haven't had time to try it.

i tried the tofutti better than cream cheese...not bad...i think i will try the cheese slices next. ooo i could have omlettes with cheese and tomatoes..mmmmmmmmmmmmm

midgemcgrath

Jun 26 2006, 05:47 PM

ha, i finally got out to the bigger store today, and bought 4 packs of the slices so i don't run out this time! it's so hot i don't want to eat melted anything right now thought!

msgoofball

Jun 27 2006, 10:41 AM

i had a bologna sandwich and some homemade pasta salad and omg....i could have eaten a huge bowl of icecream and gotten the same result...maybe the bologna was bad....dunno...talk about a surprise.

msgoofball

Jul 6 2006, 11:34 AM

ok two week into my non dairy diet...i think i need more fiber...dunno...anyone?

midgemcgrath

Jul 6 2006, 12:02 PM

fiber is good anytime, as far as i'm concerned!

i personally find eating a lot of fruits and veggies less harsh than for instance bran... but that's just me!

ugh, for some reason, if i eat too late at night, it makes me super sick the next morning, and dontcha know it, i was starving last night...and thought, oh, just a bit... boy am i paying for it now!

it's funny, cause i used to think i had a really acidy stomach, but after some reading up, i think i actually don't have enough acid in my stomach, cause it seems like i digest really slowly...and taking tums for the heartburn it causes just seems to make it worse. anyone know anything about low stomach acid?

TONIN

Jul 22 2006, 01:09 AM

QUOTE(midgemcgrath @ Jul 6 2006, 01:19 PM)

fiber is good anytime, as far as i'm concerned! <BR> <BR>i personally find eating a lot of fruits and veggies less harsh than for instance bran... but that's just me! <BR> <BR>ugh, for some reason, if i eat too late at night, it makes me super sick the next morning, and dontcha know it, i was starving last night...and thought, oh, just a bit... boy am i paying for it now! <BR> <BR>it's funny, cause i used to think i had a really acidy stomach, but after some reading up, i think i actually don't have enough acid in my stomach, cause it seems like i digest really slowly...and taking tums for the heartburn it causes just seems to make it worse. anyone know anything about low stomach acid?

acidopholis ( i think thats how you spell it) is really good to keep the bacteria in your digestive tract neutral. also.... stomach acid, you should wait about 30min after eatting before you lie down cus the food will press back up into the sphincter at the top of the stomach and cause gerd gasteroesophogeal reflux disease. which isnt good. dont eat too much too late and lie down. and it seams like you have alot of bowel issues. am i right?? cus if you do have you seen a specialist. my b/f used to have alot of "tummy troubles" and after nagging him to see a dr. he is 24 and had his first colonoscopy and has ulcerative cholitis which means his chances of getting cholorectal cancer in the next 15 years is greatly increased. scarry!!! they (the professionals) say it is common in young adults. just a thought.

midgemcgrath

Jul 25 2006, 10:47 AM

just an fyi tonin, cause you're new here, but most of the people in this thread have been diagnosed with some kind of condition already. i saw specialists as a child and had tests done...so to say that i seem to be having a lot of "bowel issues"...well, yes, that's why i am here!

i've taken acidophilus before, it doesn't really do much for me unless i am really out of whack. and when i say i ate too late, i mean within like 2 hours of going to sleep. i would never eat 30 mins before going to sleep, that would definately make me sick!

not to be rude, but just so you get a feel for this thread, most of the people here are mainly here to vent about dealing with their digestive conditions, and sometimes ask advice, but we're all in the advanced class on "bowel issues"!

keenkitty

Jul 25 2006, 01:04 PM

Yeah I have Gastrenteritis/Irritable bowel and an unusually small sphincter. Which means Pooping is not fun, I am allergice to wheat, dairy, meat, sulfites, have horrible exzema and asthma.

But honestly if I could just go back to being able to eat spaghetti and tomato sauce I think I'd be ok with not being able to run or drink wine!

Its to the point now where I hate eating anywhere but home bacuse I never know what will make me sick.

I actually went on a diet (by accident) in which I found myself eating nothing but cereal, rice, oatmeal or parritch thickened by maple syrup and Almond milk.

I like salads and apples too but can't eat more than a half an apple at a time or I get bound up and can't poop.

Anyone else have fun fun Crohns Disease?

midgemcgrath

Jul 25 2006, 11:07 PM

ugh, food allergies up the wazoo like me! yeah, it's hard never knowing when it's going to hit....

TONIN

Jul 29 2006, 01:32 AM

QUOTE(midgemcgrath @ Jul 25 2006, 12:04 PM)

just an fyi tonin, cause you're new here, but most of the people in this thread have been diagnosed with some kind of condition already. i saw specialists as a child and had tests done...so to say that i seem to be having a lot of "bowel issues"...well, yes, that's why i am here!

i've taken acidophilus before, it doesn't really do much for me unless i am really out of whack. and when i say i ate too late, i mean within like 2 hours of going to sleep. i would never eat 30 mins before going to sleep, that would definately make me sick!

not to be rude, but just so you get a feel for this thread, most of the people here are mainly here to vent about dealing with their digestive conditions, and sometimes ask advice, but we're all in the advanced class on "bowel issues"!

Sorry, like i said my boyfriend was recently diagnosed with ulcerative colitis and im a bit freaked, his mother has ibs and his grandmother has chrones. btw i was recently speaking with a women that her son had really bad ulcerative colitis and had the whole works done on him (the removal of the bowel, the sack, etc, then fixed again) and now he drinks slipery elm before he eats foods that dont agree, maybe its been said before on here but it was new news to me so i thought id share. anyway...ill leave it at that.

midgemcgrath

Jul 29 2006, 10:46 AM

hi tonin--

sorry, i think that last email came out snarkier than intended--

it does seem like these digestive things run in families though... most of my female cousins have ibs, one of my male cousins has crohn's, and my dad has diverticulitis. (and i have ibs)...

at least it is good that your boyfriend has been properly diagnosed, because now he can take measures to try and manage it as best is possible.

that is interesting about the slippery elm though, i heard it was good and bought some a while back, but then never tried it...maybe it's worth a shot!

please do stick around, don't let me scare you off--i'm a little snap-y right now because i have my thesis defence in about ten days and i'm freaking out with stress (i've been snapping at my boyfriend too, it's not just you!)

:-)

D double U

Jul 29 2006, 11:09 AM

Hello Everyone,

Im new to this thread and I've been having indigestion issues ever since I went a way to college. I've been thinkin that I might have IBS. My sister has it. I often have a tightening in my chest and stomach after I eat and when I burp it comes from deep in my stomach and it's like a rattling feeling. And this will last for like a week. Sometimes I can't even tell if Im hingry or have really bad indigestion!!! Can anyone enlighten me?

gypsyraven

Jul 31 2006, 06:42 PM

Has anyone been having any nasty illnesses lately? Particularly mud butt, vomiting, fever, abdominal pain? Seems there is a 3 day infection going around. I just had my hubby in the ER today for it. Just be on the look out ladies.

sassygrrl

Aug 15 2006, 10:51 PM

Had a touch of something today. Nasty vommiting and definate mud butt... Ugh. I'm hoping it was just a bug.....

midgemcgrath

Aug 15 2006, 11:00 PM

nope, but i have been feeling terrible lately! i don't know what the hell is going on... i'm too tired to write about it all right now, but i am getting really tired of this.

hope you feel better tomorrow sassy!

ambercherry

Aug 21 2006, 05:53 AM

so, not sure if this is the appropriate place to post this in, but i couldn't think of a better place. i think i would say that i have issues with my bowels (though i have never been diagnosed with anything, nor seen a doctor (i didn't/don't think there is a need, yet)). anyway, i got my first hemorrhoid this weekend!

any of you every deal with this? i didn't know much about them before, but i am quickly learning. and they are not very fun. i had to go work the day i first got it, and it pretty much doubled in size. and i was not comfortable at all. i was basically on bed-rest yesterday (the day after working), and that helped. now i'm wondering if i should go to work today, or call in. i never call in sick, but i don't want this thing to get worse again.

i know this is more of an external bowel issue - and not so much of a digestive thing. so, sorry, if i shouldn't be posting in here. but if any of you have encountered this, and have any advice to offer - i'd be interested! (i have done some research on the internet, and there are some good sites out there)...

sassygrrl

Aug 24 2006, 09:33 PM

I had one yesterday. I just used some prep H, but my ass still hurts. I'm trying to drink more water to lose weight, and apparantly I was really constipated. Ugh. Are you feeling better? I still hurt today, but yesterday was horrible.

ambercherry

Aug 29 2006, 11:03 AM

well, a little after a week, and i am feeling much better! it was pretty bad for a while there, though. i thought i was going to cry...and eventually i ended up treated it with prep h, as well, which worked, though my body took it's time getting over this thing. i'm just trying not to do anything that's going to aggravate it or bring it back to how it was at the beginning.

now it will be all about prevention! which, really, should clear up some of the other bowel issues i have...

~Chanel~

Sep 16 2006, 08:22 PM

Hello ladies! I have so many question for those of you dealing with hemmroids, rectal fissures (i think that's how you spell it) and GERD. I just recently went to the doctor after months of blood in the stool and he told me I had a hemmroid and rectal fissure. The doctor gave me nitroglycerine ointment to apply but I'm not exactly sure how I should be applying this. You're not suppose to touch the ointment and the direction on the prescription say to put it on this special paper and then apply it on the area but I can't walk around with a piece of wax paper between my ass all day. Any suggestions?

auralpoison

Apr 13 2009, 07:58 PM

Bump for Snow White.

snow white

Apr 23 2009, 12:41 AM

i hope this thread comes back to life. i'm having a really hard time gaining weight. i have ulcerative colitis. last night i hardly got any sleep b/c i was up every hour running to the bathroom my appetite really sucks, i hate food and i just want to gain some weight.

wow, all the past posts bring back sooo many memories. i've had the "works" done, as someone put it. colon removed, ostomy and then put back together. now i'm all internal but have many shits a day. it's worth it, seriously, ostomies are disgusting. back when they were diagnosing me they thought i had allergies to everything, so i know what it's like only eat at home. now my doctor is pretty sure i have crohn's/colitis, b/c the inflamation never goes away in my intestine. anyone else have a story? i need some comraderie!

and if anyone has advice about hemroids i'm all ears b/c my bf is having an issue there. and to imagine he was embarrassed to tell me, i've been through the ringer with digestive issues. i gave him some prep-h and vicodin(luckily i have everything on hand one could ever need, lol.) should he be drinking more water? shit, i should probably just look it up in a book.

sassygrrl

Sep 24 2009, 02:57 PM

Bumping this thread back, because I think I may have IBS. Do I go directly to a GI or thru my regular doctor? I've had issues with my stomach all my life. Should I change my diet?

Allison-Shine

Sep 25 2009, 02:45 PM

I have been doing "doubleheaders" going twice in the morning, its almost too regular. May be what I am eating but its not that much. It is bothering and inconveniencing at the same time. Feels like output is greatly exceeding input.

angie_21

Sep 26 2009, 05:24 PM

sassy, I've read a little on IBS and I think it depends on the type and severity of your problems. From what I know, there are 2 really big factors in IBS, and that's 1) wheat and dairy products and 2) stress. There are millions of books on the subject, and a lot of people I know have at least reduced their problems by themselves. One thing I know for sure is that when I ate my mom's cooking, I never had stomach problems, but as soon as junk food, fast food, and spicy stuff became a more regular part of my diet, having a bloated stomach became a regular part of my life.

mumblestutter

Sep 30 2009, 11:48 PM

I am by no means an expert on the subject, but i would avoid processed & convenience foods. as angie said, wheat & dairy can cause digestive stress. soy and corn are also common items in processed foods that can cause digestive problems. i would really recommend making food at home as much as possible and seeing what seems to trigger you problems. Processed/ready to eat foods all seem to contain mulitple items that are common causes of allergens & intolerences & make it difficult to trace a problem to a single source.

ketto

Oct 5 2009, 02:17 PM

I really just need to rant today. I've been tested twice for celiac disease now, but I recently found out that recent studies suggest you need to eat at least 3 pieces of bread a day for THREE MONTHS to get an accurate test result. The last time I only did it for 3 weeks. I don't have any desire to go back to eating gluten. I've been gluten free for a month and most of my symptoms seem to match up with a lot of people on celiac.com. So for now I'm planning to continue eating gluten free for at least 6 months, or possibly longer.

TMI details to follow.

I've had diarrhea at least 3 times a day for 6 months. I'm so sick of this. My stomach doesn't really bother me pain wise, it's just annoying. I'm trying to eat little to no dairy, and doing most of my own cooking, but it seems like no matter what I eat, it just keeps happening. I'm taking probiotics 3 times a day but they don't seem to be doing much.

One of the reasons I really don't want to go back to eating bread for the test, is that the last 3 times I've tried to do that I get horrible horrible yeast infections. Overall I feel healthier not eating the bread and I'm still getting plenty of carbs but I've also dropped a fair amount of weight.

At this point I'm planning to make another appointment with my GP, tell her I'm going to continue gluten free for now, but I want an allergy test and a referral to a GI. My situation seems to be very similar to a lot of celiac or gluten intolerant folks, including feeling worse once going gluten free, and not noticing any improvement for up to 6 months, and foods I could previously eat are now causing issues.

Lastly, I recently found out that you can get sorbitol poisoning from eating too much gum. Studies have shown it can cause IBS. From about Dec-Aug of this year I was chewing 1-2 packs a day (keeps me from snacking) but that's more than enough to cause damage (12-20 pieces a day has been linked to serious IBS symptoms). Sorbitol is also used as a laxative. I'm really angry that no one ever told me this and there's no warning on the packages. Two days after I stopped chewing it a lot of my gassy, bloated issues that I've had for 10 years went away but the D didn't.

enfermera

Oct 15 2009, 10:32 AM

so i thought i'd jump in the deep end and get personal really fast! here's my back story: i was diagnosed with a relatively mild case of ulcerative colitis in 2002; i suspect it was related to a couple of courses of accutane i took as a teenager, but who really knows? i saw a gastroenterologist for a couple of years, and ended up on a fairly high dose of imuran, with, of course, wretched prednisone for flare-ups--in spite of the mildness of my case, none of the less scary meds did anything. this seemed to help somewhat, but i was still having symptoms and occasional flare-ups. in 2005 i moved to va, and when i ran out of imuran i stopped taking it. i was really bothered by the idea of suppressing my entire immune system, especially as a nurse, and lo and behold, it really didn't seem to make much difference when i stopped. i've been managing the uc since then with diet, and not having too much trouble. (i'm a little ashamed to admit it, but i never did find another GI doc.)

on monday i developed a very sore throat and fever. the doc i saw in urgent care on tuesday pronounced it a throat infection similar to strep, and has put me on keflex three times a day. it has helped greatly, but is aggravating the hell out of my gut. it's only a week's worth, so i expect i can tough it out, but it makes me a little nervous; i'm not having a lot of discomfort, but am passing a lot of bloody diarrhea (the hallmark of uc). i've bought some otc prilosec, and just started on a probiotic, but i'm a little unsure of how to take it. i took the first one four hours after my dose of keflex, but i don't know if i should take it in between each dose, or just once a day? sometimes i hear that taking an antibiotic will negate any benefit from the probiotics anyway--which makes sense. does anyone have experience managing their gut problems while on antibiotics?

bebe

Oct 22 2009, 12:01 PM

i was just wondering if i should be worried. first off a little about my background..my parents divorced after 24 yrs..during my first year of college, i was still living at home at the time..but since then my life and health has went crraazzyyy. i have been with 3 guys..KEEEp getting utis, bv twice, yeast from antibs. FINALLYY over all of that. got on anti depressants blah blah so to my question on sunday..it is now thursday i got this really dizzy feeling and went to the doctor yesterday. slept all day mon and tues. but not until yesterday did my muscles become soo sore. everything is improving except my stomach muscles. i am bloated, gurgling, and constipated. could this be because im not eating right??bc im def not since i moved to college...should i be really worried..i get regular then i stop up again..this past thursday i had very bad diarrhea but i think it was related to my drainage..IDK heeeellppp! sorry this is so long..

enfermera

Nov 17 2009, 07:21 PM

nobody had an answer for me, but i thought i'd throw in an update just for posterity's sake, or for anyone else in the future with a similar situation: i don't know if the was the 2 weeks of prilosec, or the super-duper, "critical care," 50-billion culture probiotic, or a combination of the two, but something kicked my digestive system back into gear--before i was even done with the antibiotic. i'm not sure, but i think that this is the most consistently close to healthy it's been in a looooong time. i'm still taking a probiotic, although not quite as potent a one. hope this doesn't jinx things!

anna k

Nov 18 2009, 11:16 PM

I've cut out meat, gluten, and most dairy from my diet, and take papaya enzymes, but my stomach still bloats a lot, it's very annoying and frustrating. Is prilosec prescription only?

ketto

Nov 19 2009, 09:38 AM

I don't know about prilosec, but are you taking probiotics too? I find they make a big difference to how my tummy feels. There could be other things that are causing problems. I know that people who are sensitive to wheat often have sensitivity to eggs, pototoes, rice, corn, etc. It's so hard to figure out exactly what causes problems. I have a feeling I should be cutting out more foods but I'm still learning how to cook with some restrictions so it takes time.

anna k

Nov 19 2009, 11:39 AM

I used to take probiotics, they didn't seem to help me too much. I just started taking Donnatal again, that was a big boost in helping my stomach feel better. I had seen a GI earlier this year, and don't have celiac disease, so it seems like a matter of not eating wheat/gluten much, little dairy, little meat, and have a healthy but spare diet.

pants

Nov 20 2009, 10:55 AM

I've suffered from IBS for ages and ages and finally picked up this book which I have found really useful. After doing a poo diary (my terminology) and taking a set of quizzes you're directed to the chapter that deals with your specific issues, for me it turned out to be a combination of diarrhea and constipation (meaning matter backs up in my gut and sits until it bursts forth, literally. So I would have diarrhea at least 1-2 times a week mixed with pain as everything slowly worked it's way through my system, awesome.) so I had to clear out my intestines and now I'm taking linseed once a day with lots of water and that seems to be moving everything along at a much healthier rate. It's still early days, i've only been doing it 3 weeks, but i've noticed a marked improvement.

I've even made it through my period with considerably less intestinal distress. He reccomends taking B6 supplements as well if you are a lady and find that your symptoms worsen whilst you are bleeding. It's been really great to actually find something that works reliably. I've been through therapy to learn new ways to cope with stress and that helped some, but not enough, I've tried lots of medications, I've considered cutting my intestines out, and now a tbsp of linseeds a day seems to be helping out the most.

I don't think this works for all types of IBS but certainly if you're in a constipation / diarrhea cycle it may be worth a shot. I've noticed as well that my bloating has gone down considerably as well. Team linseed for the win.

enfermera

Nov 25 2009, 08:34 AM

QUOTE(anna k @ Nov 18 2009, 11:16 PM)

I've cut out meat, gluten, and most dairy from my diet, and take papaya enzymes, but my stomach still bloats a lot, it's very annoying and frustrating. Is prilosec prescription only?

anna, i just remembered seeing you ask this about prilosec. it is available over the counter, and in generic form as well. i don't know that it would do much for bloating; it is known as a proton pump inhibitor--it suppresses your gi tract's production of acid. i work in a hospital, and it is practically a given that when a patient is admitted, his or her doctor will put him or her on prilosec, or one of its cousins-nexium, prevacid, etc. for the duration of their stay--prophylactically. their rationale is that supposedly the combination of new medications, new diets, and often the medical procedures themselves can cause people digestive distress, usually involving indigestion, heartburn, nausea, etc. this is why it occurred to me to try it with my antibiotic.

however, you do have to be a little careful. it is very easy to became dependent on these guys; once your body gets used to it's acid production being suppressed, when you stop suppressing artificially it it can go a little crazy and give you some reflux. i personally think it's over-prescribed and handled much too lightly by docs. if your body is producing the right and appropriate amount of acid to digest your food, why would you go tinkering with it? so when i took it, i took it with the intention of not taking more than a 2-week course. and really, if you read the package, that's how it's recommended, but some people are on it as chronic users.

so, in short, it's more of a patch-the-symptoms kind of deal, rather than a fix the problem thing. as most pharmaceuticals seem to be, i'm afraid. i hope this info helps you make the right decision for you, and i hope you get some relief from your bloating!

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